Wine Chips Unleashes Its Private Reserve Club Featuring Small-Batch, Hand-Crafted Specialty Flavors

May 11, 2021 by evebushman

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF – Wine Chips, the innovators behind the first gourmet chip made exclusively for wine pairing and wine snacking, today removed the velvet rope and widened access to its Private Reserve Club (PRC). Having been tested for months by thousands of the company’s most loyal customers, the Wine Chips limited edition flavors have been a huge hit. The Private Reserve Club’s small-batch flavors are produced by the company’s very own Batch Masters in their gourmet Innovation Kitchen in Southern California.

Private Reserve flavors, including Jamon Iberico, Dry Aged Ribeye, Hawaiian Red Sea Salt, Spicy Calabrese, and Sweet Coconut Curry are so exclusive and so special, that club members might have difficulty choosing between them and the company’s flagship cheese flavors.

Fans will love all of the other delicious flavors in the Private Reserve Club store. Prospective members have three club tiers to choose from – Private Reserve Gold, Private Reserve Platinum, and Private Reserve Diamond – starting at $12.99 a month.

The company officially launched at the end of 2019, and saw tremendous growth in 2020, according to Emily Wines, one of the Wine Chips Master Sommeliers and the Chair of the Court of Master Sommeliers, U.S.

“We are so proud of what we have accomplished with Wine Chips and are delighted to launch our Private Reserve Club,” says Ms. Wines. “Who doesn’t love delicious potato chips? Here we have an easy snack that actually stands up to the incredible experience of drinking the wine itself. It’s incredibly easy to explain to customers at the tastings that I do, as the appeal of Wine Chips is just so obvious and intuitive!” she shares.

Private Reserve Club Tiers:

Private Reserve Gold – $12.99/month:

3 oz. Private Reserve Tube
Purchase from the Private Reserve Shop
Free Delivery for Subscription Plan Items

Private Reserve Platinum – $18.99/month:

3 oz. Private Reserve Tube + Replacement Bag
Purchase from the Private Reserve Shop
Free Delivery for Subscription Plan Items
10% Site-Wide Club Discount
$4.99 Flat-Rate Delivery

Private Reserve Diamond – $29.99/month:

Two 3oz. Private Reserve Tubes + Two Replacement Bags
Purchase from the Private Reserve Shop
Free Delivery for Subscription Plan Items
10% Site-Wide Club Discount
$4.99 Flat-Rate Delivery
Individual Item Ordering

Sarah Boulay-Haupt is the Vice President of Retail for Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, and is a big fan of the flavor innovations that Wine Chips offers. “We’ve done a number of collaborations with Wine Chips,” said Ms. Boulay-Haupt. “From a Bombay Spice flavor that we offered to our Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club subscribers to Candied Bacon, a treat that was included in the Screen Actors Guild Award gift boxes earlier this month, Wine Chips never ceases to impress with their creativity and execution,” says Ms. Boulay-Haupt.

Created by an earnest, diverse, and highly committed team, the fresh, hand-crafted chips offer the feel of an instant party when enjoyed with a glass of wine. Alongside a small group of passionate oenophiles, exuberant chip connoisseurs and a talented team of Master Sommeliers, entrepreneur Jonathan Strietzel first embarked on his journey to develop the perfect snack product for wine lovers back in 2017.

Batch after batch, taste-test after taste-test, they collaborated over countless glasses of wine until they found the answer: a lattice cut, extra thick chip, with powerful, flavorful seasonings intended to help wine lovers feel the perfect balance when paired with the proper wine.

Wine Chips began with three flagship flavors – Smoked Gouda, Blue Cheese and Manchego – to enhance one’s experience by creating an equilibrium with the specific fruits, tannins and acidity in the wines. The company has gradually added new gourmet cheeses and other exotic flavors over the past year, and now with the Wine Chips Private Reserve Club, members will receive one exclusive and wonderful new flavor every month. Occasionally, limited quantity flavors will drop without notice. “It’s been a labor of love and the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” said Mr. Strietzel.

Wine Chips is excited to find additional ways to cultivate a following amongst Private Reserve Club members going forward.

Follow Wine Chips on Instagram and Facebook:
https://www.instagram.com/winechips/
https://business.facebook.com/winesbestfriend/

MORE ABOUT WINE CHIPS:
Wine Chips was founded in 2017, perfected in 2019, and launched to the world in 2020 by entrepreneurs, family and friends. Wine Chips was born out of the desire to have a delicious, easy, and portable snack that pairs with wine and enhances wine enjoyment. The self-distributed, e-commerce brand was released quietly on social media, developing an immediately loyal following among specifically targeted wine lovers. Located in Huntington Beach, California, Wine Chips is also available at select upscale wine and gourmet food retailers nationwide.

Advanced Sommelier Erik Segelbaum Joins the Grand Reserve Wine Advisory Board

February 18, 2021 by evebushman

PASADENA, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — Vertical Finance (verticalfinance.com) is proud to announce the addition of Erik Segelbaum to the Grand Reserve Rewards Wine Advisory Board, a team of wine industry professionals that support Grand Reserve Rewards and Grand Reserve™ World Mastercard®, the credit card for wine enthusiasts. As a wine advisory board member, Segelbaum brings nearly 30 years of industry expertise and knowledge to help build the program, its exemplary suite of benefits and its network of over 450 partner wineries.

Photo: Artful Living

Since launching in August 2020, Grand Reserve Rewards is quickly growing its base of wine enthusiasts and its network of partner wineries. Grand Reserve brings new ways for consumers to be rewarded for pursuing their passion for wine and connects high-quality producers with discerning customers.

“We are thrilled to welcome Erik Segelbaum to the Grand Reserve Rewards team of expert wine advisory board members. Erik understands the world of wine deeply and will help us to continually improve our program for everyone involved,” said Matthew Goldman, Founder & CEO of Grand Reserve Rewards. “The insights and excellence of every board member is reflected in our program offerings and helps ensure we are always on top of new trends, great ideas, and unique opportunities.”

Named 2020 Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 Tastemaker and 2019 Food & Wine Magazine Sommelier of the Year, Segelbaum is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Specialist of Wine (with distinction) with the Society of Wine Educators, and Wine and Spirits Locations Specialist (with distinction). Segelbaum has opened more than 30 restaurants, hotels and other venues where he has built and implemented beverage programs as Beverage Director and Head Sommelier. Segelbaum hosts ongoing wine education sessions at Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and serves as the Vice President of the United Sommeliers Foundation, a charitable fund providing assistance to sommeliers in times of need.

“As a sommelier, I am constantly on the hunt for the best of the best in the wine world. I’m always looking for the hidden gems that, once discovered, forever improve my wine drinking life. I’m thrilled to have joined the advisory board of the Grand Reserve Credit Card. Without a doubt, this card will serve to be the most useful and practical wine accessory,” said Erik Segelbaum. “I look forward to applying my connections from nearly 3 decades in the industry to develop enriching card member experiences and opportunities.”

Other members of the Grand Reserve Rewards Wine Advisory Board include Helen Johannesen, Wine Enthusiast “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemaker” 2018 and Food and Wine “Best New Sommelier” 2016, Lance Reed, wine director for BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood, CA and winner of multiple awards including Wine Spectator’s “Award Of Excellence” and its coveted “Best Of Excellence”, Peter Yeung, wine business consultant, XChateau podcast co-host and author of Luxury Wine Marketing and Jamie Cegelski-Gaebe, Founder of Priority Wine Pass.

To learn more about Grand Reserve Rewards, sign up for the credit card or enquire about joining the partner network visit: grandreserverewards.com.

About Vertical Finance
Vertical Finance is a fintech and challenger credit card startup. The company’s modern credit card platform matches consumers with high-quality boutique merchants and authentic rewards that enhance their lifestyle pursuits. The company’s flagship program, Grand Reserve, rewards consumers when they shop at wineries, wine clubs, and wine shops. Vertical Finance is a 1% for the Planet company, a global network of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals working together for a healthy planet, committed to giving 1% of gross sales each year to approved nonprofit partners. Visit verticalfinance.com and grandreserverewards.com to learn more. Consumers can connect with Grand Reserve on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

Disclaimer
Vertical Finance reserves the right to modify or discontinue its products or offerings at any time and without notice. The Grand Reserve World Mastercard is powered by Deserve and issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. You must be of US legal drinking age to redeem certain rewards and/or experiences. We do not support underage drinking or any other misuse of alcohol.

Vintage Eve Circa April 2017: Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker, Reviewed by Wine Geek Eve

February 25, 2020 by evebushman

My first thought when I picked up Bianca Bosker’s Cork Dork tale was oh boy, I was going to learn some new tricks here. Three hundred pages later I not only learned a cellar full of tricks but also felt a whole lot better about being a wine geek myself. Bosker’s cork dorkiness went way past mine because in one year to my ten she had risen from novice to passing the Certified Exam given by the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of if not the most respected sommelier certification programs available in the world.

Cork Dork, photo from Copperfield’s Books.

As my wine 101 columns have covered some of what Bosker writes I will limit what I share to what may be new to readers, especially those interested in being a cork dork/sommelier:

Share time with a wine mentor, someone with greater knowledge than your own, to learn from.

Wait for that epiphany moment, Bosker’s was in watching a blind tasting and being taken aback in all that can be determined such as a new vs. old world wine, the varietal, vintage year and grape(s).

If you are interested in Court know that there is no class – you are given a reading list of 11 books to study. Three of the 11 are wine encyclopedias. There are 17 steps alone that are needed to successfully pour a glass of wine…and 95% of people fail their first try at the exam.

Developing a “sense memory” is something I’ve already done, but Bosker explains new ways to develop your senses beyond sniffing your spice rack or garden.

Assign words and make associations to aromas to help you recall them.

You will learn that viscosity comes from sugar, acidity produces saliva on the tongue, alcohol leaves a burn…and so on.

You may need to adjust your habits for wine tasting. Brushing your teeth and drinking your coffee several hours before tasting wine is logical, but rinsing your mouth with a white wine may be less obvious.

There is a long list of “don’ts” imposed by the Court. Those can be adjusted, logically, depending on the type of establishment you will be working for. Restaurants have their own rules.

If you are interested in all things olfactory and the importance of detecting aroma, Bosker covers this at length, including scientific study. Olfactory training is just as important, if not more so, than detecting flavors. We read about the Aroma Wheel invented by Ann Noble, wine tasting that is taught in primary French schools, paying $800 for an olfactory seminar and putting a sample, say a pineapple spear, directly into a glass of white wine – all for the sake of wine education.

Of course a sommelier has to be aware of wine prices. Not only because they may have never afforded the same wine they may find themselves trying to sell – and have to know everything about it anyway – but also to gauge the comfort zone of diners. (There seems to be a lot of “wine profiling” going on behind our backs when we go out to dinner!)

If you can attend free events as a budding somm, or a writer, do it. This is training at its best. If you can get into a wine “orgy” like the La Paulee Burgundy fest that Bosker scores, you may see so much decadence – drinking rare and/or high dollar wines to excess while taking “wino selfies” – that you will gladly return to the freebie tastings that truly let you sit back, relax and educate your palate.

In conclusion, after her year Bosker submits to a type of MRI where she tastes wine via a tube – no color and no odor can be detected. Her MRI results, showing high levels of brain activity – were common to other sommeliers while the test group – the novices – were not as active. Read the book to see what this proves. But suffice it to say, I’m going to keep studying wine to try to get where Bosker and her colleagues are.

From Press Release

Amateur drinker and professional reporter Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine until she infiltrated a group of New York sommeliers who could, after a single sip, identify the grape a bottle was made from, the year, and where it was produced, within acres. Impressed by their sensory powers, she set out to discover what drove their obsession and whether she too could become a “cork dork.”

Her hedonistic journey, recounted in CORK DORK: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste (Penguin Paperback Original; March 28), takes readers inside Michelin-starred dining rooms, blind tasting groups, a mass market wine factory where flavor scientists reign, wine “orgies,” and Bianca’s brain (via an fMRI machine), answering: What’s the big deal about wine? Are palates born or made? Can tasting better lead to living better?

Bianca Bosker is an award-winning journalist who has written about food, wine, architecture, and technology for The New Yorker online, The Atlantic, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Republic. The former executive tech editor of The Huffington Post, she is also the author of Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China (University of Hawaii Press, 2013).

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS WELCOMES SEVEN MASTER SOMMELIERS TO ITS PRESTIGIOUS RANKS

October 17, 2019 by evebushman

St. Louis, MO – The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas ™ is proud to welcome seven members to the organization: Nick Davis, Medium Plus, Seattle, WA; Mariya Kovacheva, Pernod Ricard, West Palm Beach, FL; Justin Moore, Vetri Cucina, Las Vegas, NV; Vincent Morrow, ONE65, San Francisco, CA; Joshua Orr, Broadbent Selections, San Diego, CA; Jeremy Shanker, Michael Mina, San Francisco, CA; and Jill Zimorski, Champagne Specialist Representing Moet Hennessy Champagne Portfolio, Chicago, IL.

Recently 150 individuals from 22 states and Canada attempted the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination proctored by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. The seven noted above, successfully displayed mastery and met the qualification to be awarded the title Master Sommelier. The results were announced at the Krug Reception on September 11^th at the Four Seasons Resort in St. Louis, Missouri.

“The examinations are an opportunity for our candidates to shine as they demonstrate their mastery of our beverage service industry,” said Devon Broglie, MS, Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. “It is inspiring to see their dedication to rigorous study and preparation on display during the examination days.”

Following the celebration of our new members, Broglie reflected on the challenges facing the organization and thanked the Examination Committee for its tireless work to provide a rigorous, exacting and fair examination consistent with the Court’s peerless Master Sommelier credential.

“We have made great strides to become a stronger organization over the past year,” Broglie said. “We have improved the security of our examinations, strengthened our ethical principles, and we continue our commitment to leading the industry with integrity as we celebrate new Master Sommeliers and mentor all those still striving to attain the goal.”

The Master Sommelier Diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in the beverage service industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three sections: a verbal theory examination, a wine assessment exercise using the Deductive Tasting Method, and a practical component that focuses on hospitality, beverage service, salesmanship, and overall business acumen. Candidates must receive passing scores in each section to earn the highly coveted Master Sommelier title.

“The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination is extremely demanding. We applaud the efforts of all candidates who sat this fair and rigorous examination,” Broglie said. “Today we celebrate the success of these seven new Master Sommeliers and continue our commitment to mentor all candidates on their path to success as we chart the course for current and future Master Sommeliers worldwide.”

ABOUT THE COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS

The Court of Master Sommeliers sets the global standard of excellence for beverage service within the hospitality industry with integrity, exemplary knowledge, and humility.

The Court was established in England in 1977 to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants. The first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam to be held in the United States was in 1987. The title Master Sommelier marks the highest recognition of wine and spirits knowledge, beverage service abilities, and professionalism in the hospitality trade. Education was then, and remains today, the Court’s charter.

There are four stages involved in attaining the top qualifications of Master Sommelier: 1) Introductory Sommelier Examination; 2) Certified Sommelier Examination; 3) Advanced Sommelier Examination and 4) Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. There are 171 professionals who have earned the title of Master Sommelier as part of the Americas chapter since the organization’s inception. Of those, 143 are men and 28 are women. Two hundred and sixty-two professionals worldwide have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. For more information, please visit www.mastersommeliers.org.

Christina Walther of Jeffrey’s of Austin Named Best Sommelier at 15th Annual Texsom

September 29, 2019 by evebushman

Irving, Texas –– TEXSOM co-founders and Master Sommeliers Drew Hendricks and James Tidwell today announced at the TEXSOM Grand Tasting that Christina Walther of Jeffrey’s of Austin is the 2019 TEXSOM Best Sommelier. The 2019 TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition takes place during TEXSOM, the most prominent and influential wine education conference in the United States, held annually at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.

Photo from Forbes.

Christina topped an impressive field of competitors in a rigorous three-part wine examination involving service, blind tasting and theory knowledge. An elite group of Master Sommelier, Master of Wine, and Master Cicerone judges named Christina the 2019 TEXSOM Best Sommelier at a ceremony on Tuesday evening. The competition is a traditional part of TEXSOM. To participate, candidates must be a current resident of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or Texas and must not have passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Sommelier Examination or won the competition previously.

“The 15^th year of the TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition was certainly one for the record books,” says Tidwell. “It is a testament to the quality and standards of their wine team for these three individuals to place in our competition. We offer wholehearted congratulations to Christina on taking top honors and look forward to following her career. We also want to extend our sincere thanks to the entire TEXSOM team who really took our conference to another level this year.”

In addition to laying claim to the title of “2019 TEXSOM Best Sommelier,” Christina received a scholarship of $2,500 from SOMMFoundation to be used for a Court of Master Sommeliers certification program. Skyler Ring was the runner up and will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the 3^rd place winner Austin Farina will receive a $1,000 scholarship. All three winners are employed by Jeffrey’s of Austin. We applaud their quality of service and training.

Held August 18^th to 20^th at Four Seasons Resort and Club and co-presented by the not-for-profit organizations GuildSomm, SOMMFoundation, Court of Master Sommeliers – Americas, and Wine & Spirit Education Trust—TEXSOM is the only event of its kind in the United States. The speakers and judges constitute a who’s who list of the nation’s top wine professionals. Dozens of Master Sommeliers (MS), Masters of Wine (MW), Master Cicerones, WSET Diploma Graduates (DipWSET) and other respected industry professionals were integral parts of the conference.

The 2019 TEXSOM conference featured a stellar line-up of speakers, mentors, and competition judges, including:

Jesse Becker MS
Wayne Belding MS
Shayn Bjornholm MS
Bree Boskov MW
Devon Broglie MS
Dilek Caner PhD MW
Remy Charest
Christy Canterbury MW
Elaine Chukan Brown
Jim Clarke
Craig Collins MS
Olga Crawford MW
Brian Cronin MS
Charles Curtis MW
Ian D’Agata
Matthew Deller
Frederick L. Dame MS
Laura DePasquale MS
Jeni Dodd
Maureen Downey
Jessica Dupuy
Sarah Jane Evans MW
Ganna Federova
Klaus Gasser
Keith Goldston MS
Jamie Goode PhD
Mary Gorman-McAdams MW
Ian Harris MBE DipWSET
Drew Hendricks MS
Rich Higgins MC CS
Jay James MS
Terry Kandylis
Geoff Kruth MS
Paul Mabray
Peter Marks MW
Benoit Marsan PhD
Jack Mason MS
Mary Margaret McCamic MW
Andrew McNamara MS
Melissa Monosoff MS
Sheri Morano MW
Antony Moss DipWSET MW
Nicholas Paris MW
Rajat Parr MS
Bronwen Percival
Francis Percival
Emily Pickral MS
Thomas Price MS
Kyle Stewart
Larry Stone MS
Guy Stout MS
Chris Tanghe MS
Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
Kelli White
Laura Williamson MS
Emily Wines MS
David Wrigley DipWSET MW
Debbie Zachareas

2019 Sponsors: The event is made possible by the generous support of many sponsors, with scholarships provided by the SOMMFoundation.

Sponsors include:

(Presenting Sponsors) Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas; GuildSomm; SOMMFoundation; Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

(Platinum Sponsors) Aqua Panna; Balzac Communications & Marketing; Banville Wine Merchants; Broadbent Selections; Classic Wine Merchants; Fortessa; Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas; ProWein; Ribera y Rueda; San Pellegrino; Silver Oak/Twomey; The Sorting Table; TEXSOM International Wine Awards; Washington State Wine; Wine Australia; Wine Dialogues; Wines from Spain.

(Gold Sponsors) Australia Classic & Rare; Banfi Vintners; Barossa Australia; Classified Wine Imports; Champagne Taittinger; Chappellet Winery; Club Crus Beaujolais; Coravin; Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.; González Byass; GoVino; Harvest Press Cider; Irving Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau; Kistler Vineyards; Loosen Bros. USA; Lux Wines; Mutual Trading Company; Newton Napa Valley; Old Bridge Cellars; Olé & Obrigado; Oregon Wine Board; Ruinart; Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans; Santa Margherita USA; Texas Fine Wine; WhyNot; Wilson Daniels; Wines of Georgia; Wines of South Africa; Wines of Uruguay.

(Silver Sponsors) Ambiente; Austrian Wine; Cape Classics; Champagne Bruno Paillard; Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco Superiore; Crimson Wine Group; Empson USA; Europvin; Food Is Great Britain & N. Ireland; Folio Fine Wine Partners; Gerard Bertrand; Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District; Graves – Sauternes; Iron Horse Vineyards; Jackson Family Wines; Kobrand Fine Wine and Spirits; Franciacorta; Lake County Winegrape Commission; Larkmead Family Estate; Lodi Wines; Louis Jadot/Zind Humbrecht; Mcpherson/Llano/Fallcreek/Brennan Vineyards; Multicarte Inc.; MundoVino; Napa Valley Vintners; New Zealand Wine; North Berkeley Imports; Pacific Highway Wines & Spirits; Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance; Petaluma Gap Wine Grower’s Alliance; Rías Baixas; Serendipity Wines; Sideshow Wine Freaks Tour; Texas Wine & Grape Grower’s Association; The Cultured Cup; The Wine Group; Terrien; Third Leaf Wines; Uncork Texas Wines; VQA Wines of Ontario; Viña Cobos by Paul Hobbs; Vinho Verde; Willamette Valley Wine; Wines of Argentina; Wines of British Columbia; Wines of Chile; Wines of Georgia; Wines of Germany; Wines of Greece; Yarden Inc.

(Bronze Sponsors) Achaval-Ferrer; Adelsheim; Alejandro Fernández Grupo Pesquera; Alexander Valley Vineyards; Almaviva; Arínzano; Athenee Importers & Distributors; Barnett Vineyards; Becker Vineyards; Bellavista; Beronia; Bodega Garzon Uruguay; Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana; Brazos Wine; Bowler; Champagne Collet; Clos du Val; Coast Pinot Noir; Corison; Crown Point Vineyards; Dalla Terra Winery District; Daou Vineyards & Winery; David Milligan Selections; Delectatio; Dessai; Donald Patz Wine Group; Dry Creek Vineyard; Ehlers Estate; Entisquero; Faustino; Fisher Vineyards; Foley Family Wines; Fredrick Wildman & Sons; Freemark Abbey; Garnacha/Grenache; Groth Vineyards & Winery; Gruet; Guinness; Gundlach Bundschu; Hahn Family Wines; Hartford Family Winery; Hundred Acre; Hertelendy Napa Valley; Joseph Phelps Vineyards; Kerr Cellars; Land of Promise Sonoma; Lange Twins; Lede Family Wines; Lingua Franca; Lipman; Messina Hof Winery & Resort; Murrieta’s Well; Obsidian Wine Co.; Pasalei; Passopisciaro Tenuta di Trinoro; Patz & Hall; Pedernales Cellars; Ranchos de Ontiveros Santa Maria Valley; Revana Family Vineyard; Rex Hill; Saint Arnold Brewing Company; Schmitt Sohne Family Wines; Siduri; Sinegal Estate; Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; Symington Family; The Hess Collection; Tinto Negro; Trefethen Family Vineyards; Villa Maria; Vina Don Machor; Vinkara; Vineyard Brands; William & Chris Vineyards; Winesellers LTD; ZD Wines; Zuccardi.

ABOUT TEXSOM

Founded in 2005, the TEXSOM conference was started by Master Sommeliers James Tidwell and Drew Hendricks to help promote professional wine service standards, outline paths for further wine education and certification, and raise public awareness about the professional standards and certifications for sommeliers. Today the conference draws more than 1,300 attendees, of whom more than 800 are sommeliers and other beverage industry professionals. In addition to the conference, the group also manages the TEXSOM International Wine Awards, one of the largest, most respected, and longest-running in the United States.

COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS WELCOMES TWENTY-FOUR NEW MASTERS TO ITS PRESTIGIOUS RANKS

October 4, 2018 by evebushman

ST LOUIS, MO – The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas ™ welcomes 24 new members to the organization: Tyler Alden of Heavy Restaurant Group/Purple Cafe & Wine Bar in Seattle, WA; Scott Barber of Green Pin Wines, LLC in St. in Helena, CA; Peter Bothwell of Continuum Estate in New York, NY; Dana Gaiser of Lauber Imports in New York, NY; Morgan Harris of Saison Hospitality in San Francisco, CA; Andrey Ivanov of Bliss Wine Imports in San Francisco, CA; Maximilian Kast of Broadbent Selections in Chapel Hill, NC; Douglas Kim of Piccaso in Las Vegas, NV; James Lechner of Bastille/Stoneburner in Seattle, WA; Jane Lopes of Attica in Ripponlea, VIC; Steven McDonald of Pappas Brothers Steakhouse in Houston, TX; Vincent Morrow of One 65 in San Francisco, CA; Elton Nichols of Canlis in Seattle, WA; Robert Ord of Treasury Wine Estate in Napa, CA; Joshua Orr of Epic Wines and Spirits in San Diego, CA; Daniel Pilkey of Paul Hobbs Winery in Chicago, IL; Christopher Ramelb of Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits in Honolulu, HI; Steven Robinson of Atelier Restaurant in Ottawa, ON ; Justin Timsit of Martine’s Wines in Los Angeles, CA; Mia Van de Water of Eleven Madison Park in New York, NY; Greg Van Wagner of Jimmy’s and Jimmy’s Bodega in Aspen, CO; Steven Washuta of The Pool in New York, NY; Jessica Waugh of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in Las Vegas, NV; and Jill Zimorski a Champagne Specialist for Moet Hennessy Portfolio in Chicago, IL.

Held at the Four Seasons Resort in St. Louis, Missouri from September 3rd – 5th, the invitation-only Master Sommelier Diploma Examination was attempted by 141 individuals from 23 states and three countries. The results were announced at the Krug Reception where new Master Sommelier, Greg Van Wagner, was also awarded with the coveted Krug Cup by passing all three sections of the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination with the highest aggregate score on his first attempt.

“This was, without doubt, the most successful Master Sommelier Diploma Examination the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas has ever administered,” said Devon Broglie, MS, Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. “We commend the efforts of all candidates who attempted the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination this year and continue to be inspired by their passion and dedication to the hospitality industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination is extremely demanding. After years of rigorous preparation, these twenty-four professionals have demonstrated the highest level of excellence within the hospitality industry with their exemplary service skill, beverage knowledge, and deductive tasting ability. On behalf of the Court of Master Sommeliers, I am thrilled to welcome these 24 new members with our most sincere congratulations.”

The Master Sommelier Diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in the beverage service industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three sections: a verbal theory examination, a blind tasting of six wines in 25 minutes, and a practical service component that focuses on restaurant beverage service and salesmanship. Candidates must receive passing scores in each category in order to earn the highly coveted title of Master Sommelier.

ABOUT THE COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS
The Court of Master Sommeliers sets the global standard of excellence for beverage service within the hospitality industry with integrity, exemplary knowledge, and humility.
The Court was established in England in 1977 to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants. The first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam to be held in the United States was in 1987. The title Master Sommelier marks the highest recognition of wine and spirits knowledge, beverage service abilities, and professionalism in the hospitality trade. Education was then, and remains today, the Court’s charter.

There are four stages involved in attaining the top qualifications of Master Sommelier: 1) Introductory Sommelier Examination; 2) Certified Sommelier Examination; 3) Advanced Sommelier Examination and 4) Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. There are 182 professionals who have earned the title of Master Sommelier as part of the Americas chapter since the organization’s inception. Of those, 153 are men and 29 are women. Two hundred and seventy-three professionals worldwide have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. For more information, please visit www.mastersommeliers.org.

Kenneth Freeman of Sixty Vines Named Best Sommelier at 14th Annual TEXSOM

September 9, 2018 by evebushman

Irving, Texas – TEXSOM co-founders and Master Sommeliers Drew Hendricks and James Tidwell announced at the TEXSOM Grand Tasting presented by ProWein that Kenneth Freeman of Sixty Vines in Uptown Dallas is the 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier. The 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition, presented by Texas Monthly, takes place during TEXSOM, the most prominent and influential wine education conference in the United States, held annually at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.

Freeman topped an impressive field of 25 other competitors in a rigorous three-part wine examination involving service, blind tasting and theory. An elite panel of Master Sommelier judges named Freeman the 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier at a ceremony on Monday evening. The competition is a traditional part of TEXSOM. To participate, candidates must be a current resident of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or Texas and must not have passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Sommelier Examination or won the competition previously.

“Though we’ve grown over the past 14 years, the mission of TEXSOM continues to be the advancement of our industry and the elevation of service standards in a constant quest for excellence,” said Tidwell. “The TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition is an opportunity for those individuals who show both a drive to learn and a commitment to these principles. We offer wholehearted congratulations to Kenneth for winning the competition this year. We see a bright future for him and will follow with interest, his accomplishments over the next few years.”

In addition to laying claim to the title of “2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier,” Freeman received a scholarship of $2,500 from SOMMFoundation to be used for a Court of Master Sommeliers certification program. Lindsay Drew of Guild in Austin was the runner up and will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the 3rd place winner Morgan Gray of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Held August 10th to 13th at Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas and co-presented by the not-for-profit organizations GuildSomm, SOMMFoundation, Court of Master Sommeliers – Americas, and Wine & Spirit Education Trust—TEXSOM is the only event of its kind in the United States. The speakers and judges constitute a who’s who list of the nation’s top wine professionals. Dozens of Master Sommeliers (MS), Masters of Wine (MW), Certified Wine Educators (CWE), and other respected industry professionals were integral parts of the conference.

The 2018 TEXSOM conference featured a stellar line-up of speakers, mentors, and competition judges, including:

Serafin Alvarado MS
•   Gillian Ballance MS
•   Christopher Bates MS
•   Wayne Belding MS
•   John Blazon MS
•   Bree Boskov MW
•   Devon Broglie MS
•   Jim Bube MS
•   Dilek Caner PhD MW
•   Christy Canterbury MW
•   Elaine Chukan Brown
•   Matt Citriglia MS
•   Jim Clarke
•   Craig Collins MS
•   Brian Cronin MS
•   Charles Curtis MW
•   Ian D’Agata
•   Frederick L. Dame MS
•   Mark Davidson
•   Laura DePasquale MS
•   Jessica Dupuy
•   Sarah Jane Evans MW
•   Michael Franz Ph.D.
•   Keith Goldston MS
•   Mary Gorman-McAdams MW
•   Peter Granoff MS
•   Greg Harrington MS
•   Ian Harris DipWSET MBE
•   Drew Hendricks MS
•   Jay James MS
•   David Keck MS
•   Geoff Kruth MS
•   Ernst Loosen
•   Jack Mason MS
•   Mary Margaret McCamic MW
•   Andrew McNamara MS
•   Melissa Monosoff MS
•   Sheri Morano MW
•   Antony Moss DipWSET MW
•   Nicholas Paris MW
•   Aaron Patrick MS
•   Francis Percival
•   Thomas Price MS
•   Josh Raynolds
•   Jean K. Reilly MW
•   Laura Rhys MS
•   Treve Ring DipWSET
•   June Rodil MS
•   Joseph Spellman MS
•   Guy Stout MS
•   Chris Tanghe MS
•   Liz Thach Ph.D. MW
•   Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
•   Kelli White
•   Nigel Wilkinson MS
•   Virginia Wilcock
•   David Wrigley DipWSET MW
•   Debbie Zachareas

2018 Sponsors: The event is made possible by the generous support of many sponsors, with scholarships provided by the SOMMFoundation.

Sponsors include:

(Presenting Sponsors) Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas; GuildSomm; SOMMFoundation; Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

(Platinum Sponsors) Aqua Panna; Balzac Communications & Marketing; Broadbent Selections; Classic Wine Merchants; E&J Gallo Winery; Fortessa; Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas; ProWein; Republic National Distributing Company; Ribera y Rueda; San Pellegrino; Silver Oak/Twomey; The Sorting Table; Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits; TEXSOM International Wine Awards; TRU Estates and Vineyards; Washington State Wine; Wine Australia; Wines from Spain.

(Gold Sponsors) Australia Classic & Rare; Banfi Vintners; Banville Wine Merchants; Barossa Australia; Classified Wine Imports; Champagne Taittinger; Chappellet Winery; Coravin; Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.; GoVino; Irving Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau; Kistler Vineyards; Loosen Bros. USA; Louis Jadot; Lux Wines; Massanois; Mutual Trading Company; Old Bridge Cellars; Oregon Wine Board; Rhone Valley Vineyards; Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans; Texas Fine Wine; Repour Winesaver; Vintus; Wilson Daniels; Wines of South Africa.

(Silver Sponsors) Bliss Wine Imports; Cape Classics; Crimson Wine Group; DSWS; Domaines Albert Bichot; Empson USA; Esprit du Vin; Europvin; Folio Fine Wine Partners; Gerard Bertrand; Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District; Graves – Sauternes; Helen & Joey Estate; Iron Horse Vineyards; Jackson Family Wines; Jeroboam; Kobrand Fine Wine and Spirits; C. N. Kopke; Lake County Winegrape Commission; Lodi Wines; Multicarte Inc.; MundoVino; Napa Valley Vintners; New Zealand Wine; North Berkeley Imports; Old World Vines; Ole Imports; Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance; Provence Rose Group; Serendipity Wines; Sideshow Wine Freaks Tour; The Cultured Cup; The Wine Group; Vina Cobos by Paul Hobbs; Vini Fantini by Farnese; Vinos D.O. Navarra; West Sonoma Coast Vintners; Willamette Valley Wine; Wines of Chile; Wines of Georgia; Wines of Germany; Wines of Greece; Wines of Turkey; Wine of Uruguay; Winesellers, Ltd; Yraden Inc.

(Bronze Sponsors) Achaval Ferrer; Alexander Valley Vineyards; Almaviva; Arinzano; Austrian Wine; Barnett Vineyards; Becker Vineyards; Bellavista; Bending Branch Winery; Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana; Brazos Wine; Champagne Collet; Chapel Down; Charles Krug; Clos du Val; Craft + Estate; Crown Point Vineyards; Dalla Terra Winery District; Dashe; Delectatio; Domaine Roy & Fils; Dry Creek Vineyard; DuMol; Ehlers Estate; Emeritus Vineyards; Faustino; Fisher Vineyards; Foley Family Wines; Fredrick Wildman & Sons; Freemark Abbey; Gonzales Byass; Groth Vineyards & Winery; Gruet; Hahn Family Wines; Hartford Family Winery; Hope Family Wines; Hundred Acre; Jax; Joseph Phelps Vineyards; Lange Twins; Lede Family Wines; Left Coast Cellars; Lewis Wines; Mad Fritz; McPherson; Messina Hof Winery & Resort; Mionetto USA; Montagu; Murrieta’s Well; O’Neill Vintners & Distillers; Ontanon; Obsidian Wine Co.; Pahlmeyer Wayfarer; Patz & Hall; Pedernales Cellars; Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance; Premium Port Wines; Quivara Vineyards; R & R Selections; Ramey Wine Cellars; Ranchos de Ontiveros; Revana Family Vineyard; Rex Hill; Siduri; SM Wine Group; Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; Tamber Bey; The Hess Collection; Third Leaf; Torbreck; Trefethen Family Vineyards; Villa Maria; Ventisquero; Vineyard Brands; Vintage Point; William Chris Vineyards; ZD Wines; Zuccardi.

ABOUT TEXSOM
Founded in 2005, the TEXSOM conference was started by Master Sommeliers James Tidwell and Drew Hendricks to help promote professional wine service standards, outline paths for further wine education and certification, and raise public awareness about the professional standards and certifications for sommeliers. Today the conference draws more than 1,300 attendees, of whom more than 800 are sommeliers and other beverage industry professionals. In addition to the conference, the group also manages the TEXSOM International Wine Awards, one of the largest, most respected, and longest-running in the United States.